


you lift, bro?

by hoppnhorn



Series: Harringrove Bits & Pieces [19]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternative Universe - Gym, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-19 19:17:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17007588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoppnhorn/pseuds/hoppnhorn
Summary: The blond blinks at him, his jeans still in his hands.“You’re a nice guy.” He states softly, one side of his mouth lifting in a small smile. And suddenly Steve knows he’s about to be shut down. The nice guy doesn’t get the hot guy’s number. Not in real life. Just in sappy movies and shitty porn.“Ah…” Steve rubs the back of his neck, waiting for the guy to let him down.You’re a nice guy but it was just sex. You’re a nice guy but it was just a one time thing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be a mini prompt that turned into a thing...oops.   
> "See, the only mini prompt I can come up with today is Billy ripping his pants doing squats, since I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for days."  
> enjoy!

Steve’s hooked up with the hot blond from the gym exactly once. It was a month ago and it’d been hot, heavy, and amazing. He’d worn a rubber and he’d managed to keep from being too disappointed when the guy didn’t ask for his number; but it didn’t stop him from staring at him from across the gym every time they both happened to be there. Steve would watch as the guy would put on three 45lb plates on each side of the bar and tighten the belt around his stomach. It made Steve shudder to think that the guy was lifting more than Steve weighed. And he wasn’t just lifting it, he was doing a squat clean.

In one, smooth movement, he’d lean over and position his hands on the metal barbell, then pull it from the floor in a fast tug. As soon as he could get under it, the blond would catch the weight against his chest, elbow jutting out before he sinks into a squat, thighs bulging from the strain. And then he’d drop the bar to the ground and pant, skin red, muscles twitching.

Steve positively lived to watch him do it. Over and over. Rep after rep, set after set. He’d run on the treadmill and feign watching some sports talking heads when really he’s replaying the time he’d pinned that strong body against a wall and spit into his hand, worked three fingers inside. Steve hadn’t topped like that in a long time, hadn’t had completely anonymous sex like that  _ever._  But he thinks about it constantly, wants it all the time. Not with  _anyone_ though _._ Just the hunk from the gym. The shredded hunk from the gym. 

He’s remembering the way the blond had moaned in his ear, gripped the back of his head as Steve had held them both up on the wall, when he notices the blond stops and is examining his shorts, his face turning red. Steve slows the treadmill and watches as the blond shakes his head. There’s something wrong with the way he’s standing, his thighs touching as he hurries to rack his plates and put the bar away. He’s walking back to the locker room when Steve sees it, the split right down the back of the blond’s shorts, bright red briefs flashing as he vanishes out of sight. 

Steve doesn’t know why he follows, but he stops the treadmill, jumps off and walks quickly after him, heart thumping from his run. And, frankly, with excitement. He’s got a spare pair of shorts in his bag; it’s the perfect opportunity to talk to the guy. Maybe get his  _name_. 

The locker room is full of steam, but no showers are running and Steve almost coughs at the heavy air and smell of too much body spray. But then he sees the blond in the corner, his pulse fluttering as he carefully approaches. 

“Hey.” Steve goes for casual as he pulls up beside him, drops his back against the lockers as the blond looks at him, smiles. 

“Hey.” He folds up a pair of black shorts, goes for a pair of jeans wadded up in the locker. “What’s up?” 

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” Steve says, still a little breathless when he nods towards the ruined shorts. “Noticed your wardrobe malfunction.” The blond laughs, softly, like he’s actually embarrassed. Steve leans in closer. “I don’t think anyone else saw.” 

“If you did, I’m sure you weren’t the only one.” The blond smiles politely, but Steve can tell he’s flustered by the whole thing. 

“I was looking though.” Steve admits in a whisper, eyes tracking the blond’s nervous gaze as it skirts back up to his face, lingers. “I can’t help it.” Steve sees the guy hesitate and suddenly wonders if he’s pushed a boundary. Maybe it’d all been fleeting and he’s the only one wanting seconds. “But hey, uh, I was gonna say I have an extra pair of shorts, if you wanted to borrow them.” Steve steps away, gestures to his locker, which isn’t too far. “You could finish your workout.”

The blond blinks at him, his jeans still in his hands. 

“You’re a nice guy.” He states softly, one side of his mouth lifting in a small smile. And suddenly Steve knows he’s about to be shut down. The nice guy doesn’t get the hot guy’s number. Not in real life. Just in sappy movies and shitty porn. 

“Ah…” Steve rubs the back of his neck, waiting for the guy to let him down.  _You’re a nice guy but it was just sex. You’re a nice guy but it was just a one time thing._

“Name’s Billy.” The blond says instead, which has Steve looking up, head snapping back straight on his spine. “I, uh, could have probably introduced myself…last time…” Billy looks shy when he ducks his head, his beautiful smile so, so bright. Steve can’t breathe. All he wants to do is repeat his name. Billy. 

“Steve.” He says his name stupidly, like a cough. Clearing his throat he shakes his head. “My name’s Steve.” They look at each other across the locker room, feet apart and yet Steve feels the air crackling between them.

It’s funny how he’s already been so intimate with Billy, but his skin is singing from just standing in a room with him. It’s simple and sweet and yet he fears the way he’s drawn to a complete stranger, wishing he could have more. 

“I only had a few more sets…but I could work you in if you want?” Billy says and Steve blinks, remembers they were talking about shorts. Borrowing shorts. 

“Yeah. Yeah, okay.” Steve fumbles with his lock, tries to remember the combination as his hand shakes. Billy saunters over, tossing his jeans back into his lock. “I can’t do as much as you do, though.” Steve murmurs, grinning over his shoulder. “You’re jacked.” 

“I can train you up.” Billy says with a smirk. “I think you’re stronger than you realize.” 

Steve remembers the way he’d held Billy up on the wall and wonders if maybe the guy is right. 

“I’m willing to try if you’re willing to train me.” Steve says, opening the door and digging in his bag for his shorts. They’re black, just like Billy’s, but they smell like Steve’s favorite detergent, crisp and clean. Billy steps closer as Steve holds them out. “I’m shit at lifting.” He adds for good measure when Billy takes them. 

“Nah.” Billy smiles. “I think you’ll do fine.” He slips the shorts on over his red briefs and Steve closes his locker. “Like I said, you’re built.” Steve blushes a little when Billy arches a brow. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how hard you run.”

“So…” Steve steps closer until he can smell the tang of Billy’s deodorant. It’s citrus and reminds him of sunshine. “…you’ve been watching me too, huh?” 

Billy grins and it’s radiant. 

“Yeah. Maybe just a little.” He claps Steve once on the shoulder and tilts his head towards the exit. “Ready?” 

“Absolutely.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.” He admits, to the mirror more than anything. Suddenly he wishes he was wearing a shirt, a tank, something to hide the blush that has started to creep up on his chest. But he’s bare, exposed, standing in his gym shorts in a locker room with his heart ramming against his ribs. Billy appears in his peripherals and Steve glances at him, wishes he hadn’t when he sees the confusion on Billy’s face.
> 
> “You’re doing fine.” Billy says with a smirk. “You’ll be lifting as much as I do in no time—”
> 
> “No.” Steve shakes his head, the long hair in front hanging in his face. “I mean  _this_.” He gestures, weakly, between them and Billy’s expression goes slack. “I can’t keep doing this.”

Lifting with Billy is the highlight of his week. The best part of his day. They meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the gym, working out like two old friends. They talk about work and talk about the random shit on the TVs around the room. Real Housewife shows make them both roll their eyes while the talking heads on Sports Center spark many intense conversations.

They pretend like nothing ever happened between them. It drives Steve crazy; but he’s respectful of Billy’s boundaries and the guy keeps a careful distance. He doesn’t let his touch linger on Steve’s hands when he’s helping him rack a bar. He doesn’t stare at the mirrored wall and catch Steve’s eye. Billy is friendly and fun to be around, yet Steve can’t help but recall the way he’d tasted. The way he’d felt against him. All that muscle, coiled so tight around him until Steve was gasping for air.

He can’t think about how good it had been without wishing it could happen again. Steve will sneak glances at Billy’s arms, his strong chest, his ass and just dream. Dream that Billy would look at him with the same want that courses through Steve veins.

This goes on for months. Week after week of friendly chatting and heavy lifting. Steve gets stronger and it shows. He’s admiring the size of his shoulders in a locker room mirror when Billy walks up behind him and smirks. Their eyes connect in the glass and Steve’s lips part, longing bleeding from his pores like the sweat that still clings to his skin. His muscles are sore from fatigue but his bones seem to  _ache_  from the glimmer of Billy’s blue eyes. His jaw. His long lashes and pretty smile. Steve could look at him for a hundred years and the sight would never grow stale.

“See, you’re starting to catch up.” Billy murmurs before he claps a hand on Steve’s arm and turns to leave. Steve’s stomach plummets. He can’t keep pretending he’s not starving for Billy’s touch. Can’t ignore the way his skin sings at just a friendly gesture. It’s too much. 

“Hey.” He calls. Billy stops and turns, his gym bag swinging around on his waist.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this.” He admits, to the mirror more than anything. Suddenly he wishes he was wearing a shirt, a tank, something to hide the blush that has started to creep up on his chest. But he’s bare, exposed, standing in his gym shorts in a locker room with his heart ramming against his ribs. Billy appears in his peripherals and Steve glances at him, wishes he hadn’t when he sees the confusion on Billy’s face.

“You’re doing fine.” Billy says with a smirk. “You’ll be lifting as much as I do in no time—”

“No.” Steve shakes his head, the long hair in front hanging in his face. “I mean  _this_.” He gestures, weakly, between them and Billy’s expression goes slack. “I can’t keep doing this.”

“It’s just a workout, Steve.” Billy says softly, his voice a little rough with hurt. Steve hates hearing it. Hates knowing he put it there. “But if you don’t want to…with me…”

“Oh I want to.” Steve rounds on him, his body flooding with the impulse to show Billy just  _how badly he wants_. “I wish I could just…be your friend.” He shoves a hand through his sweaty hair, grits his teeth and meets Billy’s eye. “But I can’t.”

Billy swallows and his eyes darken.

“I get it.” He shrugs a shoulder, as if it doesn’t matter. But there’s something in his voice that tells Steve it does. “It’s too weird for you.”

Steve frowns.

“Weird?”

“We fucked.” Billy says, eyes steely as he watches for a reaction. Steve can only blink dumbly. “Some people can’t put that behind them and just be friends. I get it.” Billy nods and repeats himself. “I get it.”

“I’m not the type to just…put that behind me.” Steve answers softly, then scoffs at himself. “I’m also not the type to hook up with a stranger in a changing room.”

Billy laughs and it’s short and mean and Steve nearly stumbles back in shock.

“Sure.” He adjusts his gym bag on his shoulder and steps back, jaw clenching. “Apparently I am but hey, if it’s too weird for you, that’s fine.” In one smooth movement, Billy turns his back and Steve is watching his shoulder blades roll under a grey t-shirt as he walks away. “See you around.” The guy tosses over his shoulder.

“Am I not your type or something?” Steve blurts. Billy pauses just inside the exit and turns his head, a brow raised. “I mean, you came on to me, man.”

Billy turns his whole body and a frown forms on his face.

“What?”

“When we fucked.” There’s a hard edge to Steve’s voice as he crosses the space, gestures towards the row of changing rooms where Billy had guided them months ago. Where Billy had pulled Steve against him, met his mouth hungrily, and let him inside his body. “I mean, was it not good enough for you or something?” It’d been good enough for him. It’d been the best sex of his life. He’d had men  _and_  women but no one compared to Billy. Not even close. The two of them had been electric, to the point where he didn’t know if the sex had lasted ten minutes or ten hours. He’d been delirious with pleasure, overwhelmed. 

“It was fine.” Billy bites out as Steve stares him down. His chest feels like it’s being crushed and he takes a step back, the air in his sails vanishing in moments. Pain. It’s downright painful. He looks away. Nods.

“Fine.” Steve repeats. A little laugh escapes him. “Fine.”

“Fine what?” Billy asks but Steve can’t look at him. Can’t show him how  _not_  fine he is. He shakes his head and starts back to his locker, willing the heat in his face away.

“See you around, Billy.” He murmurs, though he doesn’t plan on coming back to the gym again. Not this gym. Not when he would be reminded of Billy the moment he walks inside, the entire time he’s there. No, Steve has already mentally cancelled his membership when there’s a hand on his shoulder and he’s being turned around.

“What do you want me to say?” Billy is asking, hand tight on Steve’s upper arm. “You want me to say I loved it? That I think about it all the time? What do you want from me?”

Steve’s skin breaks out in a shiver, his nipples harden, and he swallows down a moan.

“You do?” He breathes. Billy stares at his mouth and Steve nearly whines.

“All the goddamn time.” He sounds almost angry as he admits it, his teeth touching in the front as he speaks.

“Me too.” Steve admits. He eagerly steps into Billy’s space and doesn’t miss the widening of Billy’s eyes, the surprise. “Jesus, I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t stop  _wanting_  you.”

This time, Billy is the speechless one. He opens his mouth, closes it. Opens it again.

“But you’re…straight.”

Steve snorts. It comes out of his mouth faster than he can catch it and suddenly their both grinning, the tension easing from Billy’s shoulders.

“I’m pretty sure wanting to fuck your lifting buddy is…not straight.” Steve points out. “And fucking a hot, random guy at the gym is  _definitely_  not straight.” He adds. With a wide smile, Billy moves closer.

“You think I’m hot?”

“You thought I was straight?” Steve asks. Billy makes a face.

“I figured I was just a hookup. A one-time thing.” Then he sighs. “When you started talking to me, I thought maybe you wanted to go again but…” Billy shrugs.

“But what?” Steve leans in so he can see the freckles on Billy’s nose. They’re small, from sun, and they pepper his cheekbones, span his forehead. His eyes take Steve’s breath away, so shocking blue.

“I figured you were just being nice.” Billy breathes and Steve can taste him. Cinnamon, like the gum he’s always chewing. He’d been a smoker, Steve knows. He knows so much about Billy. He knows that he’s lived in California his whole life. He knows Billy loves to surf, which is why he smells like ocean some mornings. He knows that he takes his coffee black and loves spicy food. He knows how Billy is self-conscious about his weight, even though he eats clean and runs every morning. Steve knows Billy. He’s in love with him.

Billy’s eyes go wide and suddenly Steve can’t breathe. He’d said the last bit aloud and his heart has all but stopped in his chest, his blood running cold.

“Really?” Billy asks quietly, his gaze all over Steve’s face like he’s hunting for a tell. Something to reveal the truth.

“Yeah.” Steve reluctantly admits while he tries not to shake. “Sorry.”

“Sorry?” Billy laughs and it’s vibrant and loud and makes Steve jump.

Then Billy closes the distance between them, firmly slanting his mouth over Steve’s open lips. The kiss sends ripples of goosebumps all over Steve’s body, down his arms and legs and over his bare chest. He’s stumbling back into his locker and Billy holds him there, pins him to the metal as he licks inside his mouth.

When their tongues slide together, Steve moans. He arches, hands gripping at Billy’s waist to bring him flush against him. His heart is soaring. His body is keening. The second Billy pulls away, Steve is gasping for more. Their foreheads meet as they catch their breath, smiling.

“I’ve been trying not to fall in love with you for weeks, Steve.” Billy whispers. “Fuck, I thought maybe just working out with you would be enough.” He catches his mouth in another long, searing kiss and takes Steve’s breath away. Parting makes them both whimper for more.

“Trying?” Steve asks. Billy grins.

“Failing.”

The sound of footsteps coming down the tiled hall has Billy stepping back, his eyes still warm as they stare, chests heaving. This time, it’s Steve who grabs Billy’s hand and drags him to the changing rooms. It’s Steve who pulls Billy against him, prompts him to pin him to the wall. Mouths connected, they strip down to nothing with no trouble. T-shirt and gym shorts and are shucked away until they’re in nothing but sneakers and their skins, rocking against each other on the wall.

“I don’t have a condom.” Billy whispers against Steve’s cheek. “Fuck, I wish I did.”

“I want to have my mouth on you.” Steve replies, so eager it makes his hands shake. “Can I?”

Billy whimpers, drops his head against Steve’s.

“Are you seriously asking?”

“Please.” Steve teases, his hands groping at Billy’s firm ass as they grind their cocks together, hot and needy and already leaking. “I want you in my mouth.”

“Shit, please.” Billy shudders as Steve kneels between the wall and Billy’s hips, pressing open-mouth kisses to his stomach. His hips. “Jesus.”

“Steve.” Steve grins. “The name is Steve.”

“ _Steve_.” Billy’s hands gently pet Steve’s hair, lift his jaw, cup his chin. He looks down at him with such awe, such affection, it positively burns in Steve’s veins. Brushing his lips over Billy’s hips, over the soft skin of his thighs, he kisses his way up his shaft. He holds Billy gently, opens his mouth to lick at him, all the while, Billy is caressing his shoulders, adoring him with his hands. When Steve swallows him down, Billy’s nails bite into the skin of his back before he’s sinking his fingers into his hair, moaning.

Steve hasn’t enjoyed blowing anyone since high school, back when it was taboo and messy and guys never lasted. But with Billy, he’s drunk on the sound of soft groans, the weight of Billy’s cock in his mouth, the bitter, salty taste of come on his tongue. His own arousal is dripping onto the floor. He sucks on him until his jaw aches, pushes him into the back of his throat until he’s drooling on Billy’s cock. It only makes Billy harder. His pulse is heavy on Steve’s lips, like a beating heart between his teeth. He whispers Steve’s name like a prayer, praises him and curses when the pleasure ruts him into the heat of Steve’s mouth. Steve grips Billy’s ass, strokes his thighs and runs the ends of his nails over his abs, like he knows just how much Billy craves it, how hard it’ll make him tremble.

“I’m close.” Billy whispers as a warning and moans when Steve holds onto his hips with intent, goading Billy to thrust. Which he does, groaning and petting Steve’s hair until his stomach flexes and his body seizes. Steve swallows Billy’s release, relishes the blissful expression on his face. Then two strong arms are hauling him up from the floor, switching their places without a word.

Steve’s back meets the wall with a  _thud_  as Billy parts his lips and takes every inch of Steve’s cock. He doesn’t stop until his nose to in Steve’s pubic hair, throat working around him until Steve lets out a little cry and comes, hands grasping at Billy’s on his hips, their fingers weaving together.

When Billy stands, Steve knows he’s beaming at him; body spent and heart pounding, he’s head over heels and falling hard.

“Can I take you out to dinner?” Steve asks in a whisper. Billy grins, wraps his arms around Steve’s head to lean in for a slow, slow kiss. When he pulls away, his eyes are sparkling.

“Okay.” Then he wrinkles his nose. “But I don’t put out on the first date.”


End file.
